ALT-1 When to Rotate your Car Tires
Many people simply slap a set of new tires on their car and never pay them a bit of attention until one of them goes flat. They never check the air or even worse, they never bother to rotate them. Rotating the tires on your vehicle at regularly scheduled mileage intervals is vital to ensuring that you get the maximum life out of your tires. Tires that aren't rotated regularly can wear prematurely or unevenly, causing road noise or possibly steering issues.
A tire rotation consists of moving the tires on a vehicle from one location on the car to another in order to reduce the pattern of wear from remaining in one location on the vehicle for too long. Tires wear differently depending on where they are on the car. Front tires tend to wear more on the shoulders of the tread due to the turning motion of the car, whereas tires on the rear tend to wear more in the middle.
Front-wheel drive vehicles are especially rough on front tires because the front tires propel the car as well as turn the vehicle. Rear tires on front-wheel drive vehicles are also susceptible to developing flat spots if not rotated regularly since all they do is roll. Flat spots arise when a tire bounces ever so slightly while traveling down the road. Over time the tire will continue to bounce in the same spots, resulting in flat spots and possibly increased road noise.
Most vehicle and tire manufacturers recommend rotating your tires every 5000 to 6000 miles. The actual pattern in which the tires are rotated differs between vehicles, but typically the front tires are crossed to the opposite side rear, and the rear tires are moved straight forward. The recommended pattern for your vehicle is listed in the owner's manual. Be sure that the tire shop or dealer that performs your rotation follows this pattern.
Rotating your tires regularly also has an added benefit. It provides a good time to check the air in your tires as well as the balance and can help you catch alignment problems before they affect your tires too much. Tires are far too expensive to relegate to the back of your mind as an afterthought. As a general rule, if you have your tires rotated every other time you have your oil changed, you'll get the best possible wear and performance out of your tires.
